Governor Murphy today signed into law legislation extending the 20 and Out benefit for 3 more years. As previously reported the bill was conditionally vetoed by the Governor to give the pension board more time to study the financial impact of the benefit. However, the Governors veto language confirms that at the PFRS Board of Trustees has the power to make the benefit permanent in the future.

Members considering retirement should consult with PFRS staff and MBOS for the date for reinstatement of the benefit option online.

The bill was a major priority for the State PBA. Special thanks to Senator Gopal and Assemblyman DeAngerlo for their sponsorship and forceful advocacy to get the bill done before the summer recess.

Today the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a 5-2 decision denying the NJ State PBA’s request to stay the order of the Appellate Division that upheld Governor Murphy’s vaccination mandate that applies to all State and County Correctional Police Officers. Despite two justices voting in favor of granting our request for a stay, we recognize that the Court has spoken.

The State PBA along with our 11,000 members that are affected by this mandate are disappointed that we were unsuccessful in this challenge. We are currently reviewing this decision with legal counsel to ensure that our members have a firm understanding of the decision and can undertake any individual appellate rights that they may have available to them.

The New Jersey Superior Court this morning dismissed the State PBA lawsuit challenging Governor Murphy’s mandate that correctional police officers receive the Covid vaccine or face termination.

We are obviously extremely disappointed with the Court’s decision to uphold the vaccine mandate for correctional police officers.  This is not only a loss for these officers to make their own medical decisions, but it is going to have damaging public safety consequences should layoffs result from it.  Testing and masking were not an unreasonable approach to limit the spread of a virus that seems to be retreating.  In fact, in New Jersey and all around the world Covid restrictions are being lifted.  It makes no sense for New Jersey to double down on one set of employees while removing restrictions for countless others.

Firing correctional police officers for not getting the vaccine is a disaster for public safety.  Staffing in corrections is already a challenge and terminations for vaccine violations is going to lead to massive gaps in safety at our jails.  This is most certainly going to lead to more attacks on the remaining officers, who will be overworked with forced overtime.  We therefore fail to understand the value of risking public safety in exchange for a vaccine that simply is not a 100% defense against a pandemic that experts say is moving toward its conclusion.

We are grateful to Frank Crivelli, Esq. for his leadership in taking on this case and we know he is examining the decision to determine what future action is possible to address it.

Governor Murphy signed two bills of great importance to the State PBA today prior to the end of his first term in office.  The State PBA had initiated the drafting and quick movement of the bills to address two serious and pressing needs for PBA members across the State.  These bills close out a highly successful legislative session for State PBA initiated bills to protect and enhance the law enforcement profession in New Jersey.

First, in order to address a law and AG policy that prohibited an officer from reviewing their Body Worn Camera (BWC) footage when writing their initial reports, the State PBA proposed Assembly Bill 5864 to correct the policy.  The bill signed by the Governor today expressly permits an officer to review their BWC when writing initial reports except in certain matters relating to the use of a firearm, death, violation of the excessive use of force policy or other similar serious matters.  

The law will ensure accuracy in countless police reports and assist officers to properly record a situation.  The State PBA is grateful to the bill sponsor and State PBA member, Assemblywoman Shanique Speight, for her leadership in pushing the bill and to Governor Murphy for working with the State PBA on it.

Second, in order to address the depletion of public safety spending on officer salary and equipment in Atlantic City since the State takeover of the city, the State PBA worked closely with Senate President Steve Sweeney and the State FMBA on a bill to establish a $2 room fee on every casino hotel guest room that will be set aside in a special fund for use only for officer salary, training, retention and equipment.  

Senate Bill 4311 will raise millions per year that will restore Department funding and officer morale to the Atlantic City Police Department.  The bill will assist in retaining officers in the Department and provide much needed finances to restore officer salary that was cut before and after the State takeover six years ago.  The State PBA is truly grateful to Senator Sweeney for immediately saying yes when asked to sponsor this bill and, along with Speaker Coughlin, for making it a lame duck priority.  We applaud Governor Murphy for working with us to develop additional language to ensure that the money is secured and its spending prioritized to benefit the Officers and the City.

Dear NAPO members,

NAPO has learned and has obtained a copy of a draft Presidential Executive Order on police reform that is being circulated.  The draft Order would implement much of Senator Booker’s police reform legislative proposal that we fought so hard to stop last year, and which was rejected by Congress.  The new proposed Executive Order cannot do away with qualified immunity or expand Section 242 of U.S. Title 18 (criminal prosecution of officers for civil rights violations) as it is an Executive Order, not a law, but  it does recommend that Congress make significant changes to those long-standing officer protections. A full summary of the Executive Order can be found attached.  It is important to shine a light on this draft Order as it is a bad proposal that does nothing to safeguard officers’ rights or safety and we urge that it should not be issued.   Please share this information with your membership and urge them to make your and their objections known via Social Media (@POTUS, @WhiteHouse) or mail at the addresses below:

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Ambassador Susan E. Rice
Director
Domestic Policy Council
Room 469
Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20502

The draft order can be viewed here.  Please note that the draft Order has not been shared with us, despite our repeated requests to the Administration.  These screen shots have been uploaded, probably by a concerned federal employee.

We will continue to update you on the status of this draft and any Executive Order that threatens to harm law enforcement.

View Draft Order Highlights Here